


Somewhere Only We Know

by madneto



Series: Untitled High School AU [1]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: M/M, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-01
Updated: 2012-06-01
Packaged: 2017-11-06 13:25:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/419406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madneto/pseuds/madneto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally written on Tumblr, for Zimothy's prompt on her Tumblr:</p><p>"Erik has lived in FL his whole life, and he really wasn’t someone who went outside often, so to see a rare firefly wasn’t something that ever occurred to him.</p><p>After his parents die, Erik’s forced to move up north and live with his uncle Shaw, a man he’s always hated, since he could remember. </p><p>That’s when he meets Charles, who shows him the little things in life - including somewhere that the fireflies come out in the summer. He’s never in his life seen so many fireflies, floating around him and flickering lazily, it’s like something out of a fairytale.</p><p>He’s not sure if he’s dreaming, if it weren’t for Charles’ hand holding his own the entire while."</p><p>It's pretty much what is says on the tin, kids.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Somewhere Only We Know

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zimothy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zimothy/gifts).



> I originally wasn't going to post this on AO3, but then I saw its XMFC's birthday, and YOLO, so what the heck! Here you go. :)
> 
> Edit 28.6.12: Also, WendyShad has now translated this into Chinese! Unfortunately, only those with an mtslash.com account can read it, but for anyone interested, here's the link:
> 
> http://www.mtslash.com/viewthread.php?tid=56725&page=1&extra=#pid1054802

“Sebastian’s going to get angry if I’m out too late,” Erik said, trying to sound irritated or bored, but that was nearly impossible when Charles was beside him radiating so much excitement it was almost tangible in the air. Erik’s uncle certainly _would_ get angry if Erik came back late again, but Erik would endure a world of hurt just to witness the kind of blindingly bright smile Charles had trained on him now.

“Trust me, Erik,” Charles replied, nearly bouncing on his toes with so much pent-up enthusiasm, “you’ll be able to see them soon. It’ll be worth it, I promise.”

Erik snorted in response, but the corners of his mouth were turned up in a smile, which he knew Charles saw, even if he refused to meet his eyes. They sat in silence for a while, both of them cross-legged on the ground in the immense forest behind Charles’ mansion, lost in their own thoughts. Erik picked at the grass and let his mind wander, thinking about how he had found himself here.

After his parent’s death at the beginning of the summer just over a year ago, happiness had never seemed quite possible to the seventeen-year-old. Certainly moving in with his uncle Shaw (his mother’s sister’s widower and only remaining relative) hadn’t been comforting at all. If the man wasn’t being stonily silent and acting like Erik didn’t exist, then he was paying Erik too much attention, usually with a fist or the back of his hand.

But then school had started up again, and Erik had met Charles. Although they were in the same grade, Charles was two years younger, and a genius. He had also harassed Erik with kindness until, after several months of everyone else in the school taking the hint and ignoring him, Charles had whittled down Erik’s iron façade of condescending indifference and become Erik’s first friend.

If he was being honest, Erik was quite happy Charles hadn’t ever given up on him. Apart from having someone to talk to (on the very rare occasions that he did want to open up), Charles was able to provide a distraction from the mess his life had turned into. Also, Charles’ home life wasn’t too thrilling either, and he seemed to mirror Erik’s need for getting away. Together they were able to escape their problems and just be teenagers again. 

The more time Erik was spending with his friend, however, the more he was starting to realize that his feelings towards Charles were a little more complicated than mere friendship. A part of him had always found Charles attractive, even when Erik didn’t like his persistence so much. But beyond attraction, Charles understood Erik in a way that no one else had, not even before his parent’s death. He understood his moods and his quietness, and never tried to change him or fit him into a mould that other people would accept. He liked Erik the way he was.

What fascinated Erik the most, though, was the way that Charles was teaching him how to live again. After his parent’s death, Erik had survived. He had mourned- was still mourning- and had tried to carry on like his parents would want him to do. But carrying on wasn’t exactly living. In the months following the death of his parents, Erik had been so angry. It had just gotten worse when he moved in with the distant uncle he loathed, and Erik had soon realized that if he didn’t have the spiking anger in his gut all the time, he probably wouldn’t have any feelings at all.

Then, of course, Charles had proved him wrong. In a million, tiny ways, Charles had shown Erik that life was worth putting effort into again; through impromptu camp-outs in the woods, playing video games from when the sun went down to when it came up again, swimming in the lake, teaching Erik about all the different and interesting plant species in the forest, watching football matches in the den furthest away from Charles’ mother’s room, and a chess games whenever they could find a board. Meeting Charles was the best thing that had ever happened to Erik, which he sometimes wondered about because it only happened due to his parent’s deaths. He wondered if he should feel guilty for being happy, and frowned at the thought.

Charles must have been looking at him, because Erik abruptly felt a smaller hand cover his own hand on his knee. He looked up, meeting Charles’ gaze.

And immediately saw behind him hundreds if not thousands of tiny, flashing lights, flickering lazily through the dimly lit forest. His jaw dropped. Before moving to New York, he had lived in Florida since he was a toddler. As such, he had never seen fireflies in real life. Charles had dragged him here, promising that they were a sight worth seeing. And oh, they were.

Erik stood up quickly, wanting to see more than what he could on the ground, Charles’ hand dropping from his own in the process. Looking around at the lightning bugs flickering into life all around him, Erik couldn’t help but smile crookedly. He looked over at Charles who was also standing now, and was grinning back at him happily.

“Do you like them?” he asked, tilting his head to the side in mock-inquisitiveness. He already knew the answer.

Erik’s throat suddenly felt tight, his body more alert and nerves more alive. Tears prickled at the corners of his eyes, which would have been embarrassing if the person looking at him were anyone but Charles. Charles, whose face was so pale in the light from the half-moon, and who was so brilliant and understanding and imperfect and just utterly beautiful in every way.

“Charles…” he began, not quite knowing how to put what he was feeling into words, but Charles seemed to get what Erik meant in the way his smile slipped from his face and he stepped closer, reaching out and twining his shorter fingers with Erik’s longer, slender ones. Watching Erik’s face with wide eyes, Charles inched forward until they were incredibly close. Erik could see the details in the filaments of Charles’ stupidly blue eyes.

“Erik,” Charles breathed, his breath hot against the taller boy’s mouth as he brought his free hand to rest on his collarbone. Erik’s skin sparked where it rested.

“Eri-” Charles began again, but Erik cut him off, kissing him abruptly and somewhat awkwardly from the unequal amounts of enthusiasm to experience. Their noses bumped, and their teeth clacked together a few times, but neither cared. Charles tipped his head, adjusting the angle, and then it was less blundering. The hand on Erik’s collarbone tightened into a fist, catching his shirt with it and dragging him closer, making Erik slip a hand around Charles’ waist to support the both of them. A soft moan escaped from between their lips, and Charles opened his mouth to Erik’s, inviting him, coaxing him. Erik obliged, swiping his tongue experimentally across Charles’ bottom lip, eliciting another quiet noise of approval.

They simply stood there, kissing and holding each other for so long Erik lost track of time, the rest of the world that was not Charles, completely forgotten. Finally, they both had to pull away, Erik resting his forehead against Charles’ as they panted for breath.

“Charles,” he whispered desperately, voice slightly raspy, “I’m going to get us away from here. Next year- college-”

Charles shifted to drop a swift kiss to Erik’s check before immediately moving back to rest their foreheads together again. “Shh,” he soothed quietly, moving both his hands up to clasp Erik’s neck and jaw, thumbs ghosting over his cheeks. “I know.” Another, softer kiss. “I know.”


End file.
